How do you choose a bookkeeper when your Midvale business has more than one entity?
Ask them to explain how they'd run your setup, not bookkeeping in general. Two LLCs, a sales tax account with more than one location, or one employee in another state each add work that a basic bookkeeper may never have done. The right person can tell you on the first call how they'd handle each one.
The general checks still apply, and our Midvale page has a short answer on choosing a bookkeeper in Midvale. This guide is about the questions that come after those. The IRS, Utah and Midvale rules below were checked on each agency's own pages in November 2026.
| Your situation | Question to ask | A good answer mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Two or more LLCs | How do you keep each entity's books apart? | Separate books and a separate bank account for each entity |
| Money moving between entities | How do you record transfers and loans between them? | Matching entries in both entities' books |
| Sales tax in Utah | Which sales tax return do I file? | Your return type and every location on it |
| More than one Utah location | How is each sale tied to its location? | A location on every sale, not one rate for everything |
| Staff in another state | Who registers payroll where they work? | That state's registration and its filing dates |
| One entity, no sales tax, no staff | Do I need this level of help? | An honest answer that you may not yet |
Why does a second entity change what you need from a bookkeeper?
Because each entity keeps its own records, even when the tax return doesn't show it. The IRS page on LLCs says a single-member LLC can be a disregarded entity for income tax, but for employment tax and certain excise taxes it's still considered a separate entity. So an LLC that pays staff has payroll of its own, whatever happens on the owner's return.
Ask how they'll keep each entity's books and bank account apart, and how they'll record money one entity lends or pays to another. Our post on bookkeeping for two or more LLCs covers the one-set-or-separate question in detail. A warning sign is an answer that never mentions transfers between the entities, because that's where mixed-up books usually start.
What should you ask about Utah sales tax accounts?
Start with which return you file and how many locations sit on it. The Utah State Tax Commission's Publication 25 says Form TC-62S is for sellers with one fixed Utah location, and TC-62M is for all other sellers, including those with multiple Utah business locations, no Utah location or no fixed place of business.
Location affects the rate as well. The same publication says sales are sourced to a taxing jurisdiction to set the rate, and that the combined rate can differ from one community to another. If you sell from more than one location, ask the bookkeeper how each sale gets tied to its location in the books. One rate for everything is a reason to keep looking.
In Midvale, the city's steps for getting a business license put state registration, including a sales tax number if your business needs one, right after checking zoning for the location. The city's licensing FAQ also says a business that moves within Midvale closes the license for the old location and applies for a new one, with new inspections. Tell your bookkeeper when that happens, so the fees land in the books of the entity that moved.
What if you have staff working in another state?
Ask who registers the business for withholding in the state where that person works, and who files there. In Utah, the Tax Commission's withholding page says employers file quarterly returns on Form TC-941E, electronically, with the fourth quarter and annual return combined and due January 31. Another state has its own registration and its own dates.
A good bookkeeper names those steps before the first paycheck, not after a notice arrives. If they say payroll software handles every state on its own, ask who checks that it did.
How do you check a bookkeeper's credentials?
Ask which certifications they hold, then look each one up on the issuing company's own directory rather than trusting a badge on a website. A QuickBooks ProAdvisor, for example, can be searched in Intuit's ProAdvisor directory. If a certification doesn't show up there, ask about it.
Who is a basic bookkeeper still right for?
If you run one entity, don't collect sales tax and pay no staff, a basic bookkeeper or careful do-it-yourself books are often fine. The questions above don't apply yet. Come back to them when you form a second entity, register for sales tax or hire. Our post on whether a business has outgrown basic bookkeeping walks through those signs one by one.
When is it worth handing this to Ivory Balance Books?
Ivory Balance Books, based in South Jordan, works with businesses that have outgrown basic bookkeeping, often because of more than one entity, sales tax or staff in other states. Monthly bookkeeping keeps your accounts categorized and reconciled, and the monthly financial reports arrive by the 10th. Sales tax filing and payroll are add-ons, including payroll registrations in every state your team works from. Melanie Mathews is a QuickBooks ProAdvisor listed on Intuit's directory. Your CPA prepares and files the return.
Running more than one entity from Midvale?
Book a complimentary discovery call with Melanie. It takes about fifteen minutes, and you can bring the questions from the table above.
